Local Machinists’ brass pull Larsen endorsement

The Washington Machinists Council has withdrawn its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., angry that the Congressman urged Machinists leaders to let their members vote on Boeing’s contract offer.

The vote was directed by the union’s national leadership over the opposition of Aerospace Machinists’ local 751 leaders.

A seven-term Democrat, Larsen organized support for Boeing’s winning bid to get the Air Force to use a modified 767 aircraft as its new refueling tanker. The Washington congressional delegation argued lower costs in making the case for Boeing.

The root of Larsen’s labor pains is a statement made on December 13th in which Larsen declared: “It is my assessment that Boeing needs to control its costs so it can continue to lead in an increasingly competitive environment.”

“I think that future production at the Everett factor is imperiled without a labor agreement. If Boeing moves production of the 777X away from Everett, the future of all large scale aerospace manufacturing in Washington would be in doubt.

The Machinists’ leadership did not like those words, and responded Monday with fighting words:

“Congressman Larsen needs to understand he was elected to represent his district in the U.S. House of Representatives, not as the union president or Boeing’s chief negotiator. Larsen interfered with the IAM in its effort to secure the best outcome for its members working at Boeing.”

Larsen represents the 2nd District, which hugs the water from Bellingham to Everett and into South Snohomish County.

It is a much safer Democratic district, stripped of rural areas, than before 2010. Larsen barely won reelection in 2010, and two years later took two-thirds of the vote in his redrawn district.

The 2nd is also a Boeing-dependent district. Boeing is the largest employer in Skagit County, even though the nearest population center — Mount Vernon — is about 35 miles north of Boeing’s Everett assembly plant.

“By pressing for a vote, Larsen helped Boeing strip away pensions and health care benefits,” the Machinists’ leaders argued. “While we don’t expect the Congressman to side with us, Boeing doesn’t need Larsen’s help to drive down wages and benefits for working families.”

Boeing announced, after the Machinists’ vote, that it will build the 777X in Everett.

The Washington Machinists Council statement, yanking support from Larsen, came on a day that seemed to confirm the Congressman’s warning.